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HOOKER

The hooker plays a vital role in the commencement of sets in modern day rugby league. Each play stems from the play-the-ball and the hooker has to have an outstanding passing game to be completely effective. The role has evolved a lot over the course of rugby league history to the significance it has to a squad today, so before we have a look at what it is, let’s have a look at how it got there.

The name hooker was given to the otherwise known rake because his primary role was to hook the ball in the scrums (you know, before they were fed in the second row?) He would contest the ball with the opposition hooker to try to win the fed scrum and ultimately return possession of the ball to his team. Working alongside the lock forward with covering defence for the front-rowers, this was the main focus of the hooker.

Fast-forward to the present and the Hooker name is obsolete. They no longer perform this function, but instead take on the role of an acting half or dummy half. Since the mid 80s they’ve always done this. They would distribute the ball from the ruck on each active play as quickly as possible, but now a greater emphasis is put on how they do this. A hooker in modern day rugby league has to control the middle third of the field attackingly and ensure all players are receiving the ball at the advantage line. Failure to do this costs teams valuable half seconds in attacking play, which make all the difference to producing a try-scoring opportunity and having your players safely tackled and contained by the opposition defensive line.

The hooker has now assumed playmaking responsibilities, but the team and structure they play within has determined how significant these responsibilities are. Generally speaking, there are three kinds of hookers you see in the modern day game. The attack centric, the defensive centric and the combination.

The attack centric hooker was usually a half coming through the lower grades and junior development squads. They have strong passing and kicking skills, as well as great acceleration over the first 10-20 metres. However, they lack the ability to translate that over into dominating the top grade. They often look a little clunky when trying to construct set plays and have a tendency of over playing their hand at the elite level, but when given the opportunity to play from dummy-half, their skills become effective around the bigger, slower forwards. Their strong passing games means they provide fantastic service from the play-the-ball, their pace means they can scoot and dart their way to clean breaks and their kicking game provides pressure relief to the halves they service.

The defensive centric hooker usually spent considerable time in their junior years playing in the backrow. Their strong tackle ability made them ultra reliable defenders, but as the years went on their team mates around them grew much faster than they did, and there they stayed stuck, a brilliant defender who chopped everyone in their sights down, but with no position to play because they were no longer big enough to play in the backrow. Enter the dummy half role. Their service may not be as crisp as the attacking centric hooker, nor their ability to offer another playmaking or kicking option, but their tackle efficiency is through the roof, often averaging in the mid to high 90% range. Similarly, their fitness levels are the best in the team, always leading the defensive unit with great line speed, play after play.

The combination hooker has elements of both the attacking centric and defensive centric number 9, but generally has one part of their game that restricts them from having the full arsenal of skills. You may have a hooker with playmaking skills and who is a great defender, but lacks that explosive, electric speed. You may have a hooker who can defend all day and is a great kicking option, but their service isn’t the best. You may have a hooker who can play the whole 80 minutes and provide brilliant service, but can’t kick and whose tackle efficiency drops off as the game wears on.

There’s a few possible combinations that can take place here, but at the end of the day, coaches have to choose what style of hooker they want for their team and the role they want them to play in their attacking structures and defensive line. Make no mistake, a coach’s expectations of his number 9, vastly effect the style in which a team will play.

Now with that being said, let’s have a look at the Eels hooking options for 2017.

 

Isaac De Gois

With 225 NRL games to date, Isaac De Gois sits only behind Frank Pritchard as the Eels most experienced NRL player.

Fit and aggressive, De Gois is an outstanding one-on-one tackler, always bringing down bigger opponents with great tackle technique. He encompasses many of the characteristics of the defensive centric hooker, with his line speed of particular importance to the Eels defence.

Although he’s starting to get a little older in the legs, one cannot underestimate the value that De Gois brings this side. Following the mid-season departure of fan favourite, Nathan Peats, to the Gold Coast Titans, many an expert thought the Eels would lose a lot out of dummy half. Like he did in 2014, De Gois stepped up to the task and was instrumental in leading the now resilient Parramatta defence.

Some question marks hang over his ability to consistently churn out 80 minutes at the same standard of play, especially given that he’s not getting any younger and has had some momentary lapses when he’s under fatigue. However, one cannot underestimate the work he does for this side. A fresh De Gois delivers timely passes on the chest of his runners and helps the forwards get over the advantage line and he is always in a position of support for his attackers and his defenders.

If we can manage his minutes and workload correctly, the concerns that people have over our hooking position will be a thing of the past.

Strengths: Line speed, defence, one-on-one tackle, passing game.

Areas of Development: Running game, standard of play under fatigue.

Highlights: View here & here

As evidenced by the three tries he scored last year, De Gois always puts himself in a position to be a part of the play. You see this throughout the highlights video in the first link. The second link shows his underrated running game and bruising defence. Enjoy!

Kaysa Pritchard

Kaysa brings a truckload of energy to any side he plays with. For those of you who have watched this young man progress through the grades at the Eels, you will have witnessed an ultra enthusiastic defender and a livewire runner of the ball.

The explosive pace that can split even the best of markers and the ability to put a heavy shot on even the biggest forwards means that Kaysa draws a lot of similarities to former Eel, PJ Marsh.

Another player who loves to lead the defensive line with his energy, Kaysa is always waiting for the opportune moment to run. Although injury has stalled his progress so far, there’s no denying the talent he brings to the squad and why the coaching staff rate him so highly. So much so it is a large part of the reason why he was used as a running forward off the bench last year, rather than exclusively at hooker. They wanted Kaysa’s body to get used to the contact of NRL rugby league and slowly drop a few more minutes in at dummy half over the year, so that when he made the full transition at NRL level, his body was battled hardened.

Let’s hope his injuries are a thing of the past and he can put some good minutes together, whether that’s starting in the 9, off the bench or biding his time in reserve grade because he brings a great point of difference to the Eels attack.

If he can tidy up his passing game from dummy-half just a little bit more, the number 9 jersey will become his.

Strengths: Acceleration, pace, aggression, defence.

Areas of Development: Overcoming injury, timeliness of passing from dummy-half.

Highlights: View here

I’ve attached to Kaysa’s highlights the U/20s 2014 Origin game in which he captained from hooker and Clint Gutherson played fullback. Anyone having doubts over how these guys may fit into our structure, need only watch this game from start to finish, both playing active roles in a NSW 30-8 victory.

Cameron King

A creative number 9 that brings his forwards onto the ball with great class, King is another hooker on the Eels books who has been on the wrong end of an injury-riddled career to date. Crafty, with a strong kicking game, the nuggety dummy half brings a well balanced game to the Eels hooking options for 2017.

Had it not been for the salary cap scandal in 2016, he would have already donned the Eels colours in First Grade, but nonetheless bided his time in Wentworthville with the promise of a new contract if he could string a consistent injury-free year together.

Proving his versatility over the course of a roller-coaster reserve grade season, King filled in well at Halfback for the injury-riddled Magpies team, receiving the Coaches Award at the Ken Thornett Medal.

It’s likely 2017 will provide King with the opportunity to re-establish himself as a First Grader just as those very promising early years at St. George suggested. If he can stay fit and work on little areas of his defensive game, there’s no reason why he can’t make the hooker position his own, after earning a much deserved promotion to the Top 25 squad.

I have no doubt at some point in 2017, we’ll see just what Cameron King can do.

Strengths: Creative hooker, great service, brings the forwards onto the ball, kicking game.

Areas of Development: Injuries, staying defensively consistent over 80 minutes.

Highlights: View here

If you watch any of the plays in which we score using the overman lap throughout our 2016 & 2017 9s campaigns it stems from the great direct play and passing set up by Cameron King from dummy half. You see some really great work from King in the first try in particular in our pool game v Souths.

Cody Nelson

Speaking of the 9s, who doesn’t love the great try and celebration of Cody Nelson when it became a formality that the title was coming our way? Though more of a backrower, Nelson shows great utility value in being able to fill in at hooker when needed, having done so on a few occasions since his recruitment to the blue and gold.

Very much in the mould of the defensive centric hooker, Cody has shown that he has great defensive tenacity with some stinging hits in his NRL appearances to date. He has proven himself ultra reliable and someone Coach Arthur has no qualms calling upon to do a job.

His distribution and service is early and his effort against the Dragons in 2015, where he amassed 54 tackles earned him many an Eels fan. Not bad for your Club debut, huh?

It’s the versatility of players like Cody, who can come in and do a job across a number of positions, that give our squad such great depth.

Strengths: Early service, defensively strong, fit, strong impact.

Areas of Development: Down the pecking order, development of a dummy half running game.

Highlights: View here & view here

His passing in these highlights was great and we all know the defensive efforts he can produce. Enjoy the 9s try in the second link at 1:49, a great moment in Eels history.

Nathan Brown

For those of you who haven’t attended an Eels training session over the pre-season, you may be shocked to see Nathan Brown’s name on this list. However, if like Sixties and Parrathruandthru you’ve had the chance to witness a session, you wouldn’t be surprised to see his name pop up.

Nathan Brown, although viewed as a middle forward by the Club, has spent a little bit of time at hooker throughout the pre-season, giving Coach Arthur an option if he wants to have an all forward bench, but still afford some relief to the man he chooses to play at hooker.

There’s a reason a few of the boys have been affectionately referring to Brown as “Piggy”, cause like former Eels hooker, Mark Riddell, he too may spend some minutes at dummy half, despite having a middle forwards frame.

Brown has all the skills to make these relief minutes effective, as witnessed by some of the skills he used at the 9s and by anyone who has seen him play minutes for his old Club, Souths.

A half in his junior days has translated Brown’s passing game into a very impressive one for a forward and will no doubt be utilised if the 80 minute hooker goes down or requires a spell at any point in the game.

His aggressive defence and line speed in the middle third of the ground, make him a good option, should he be called upon to fulfil these duties at any point in time across 2017.

Strengths: Has playmaking skills, aggression, defence.

Areas of Development: Not his best position, preference that his talents be used elsewhere.

Highlights: View here

The kick and regather try scored by Brown from dummy half at the 2017 9s gives Eels fans insight into the array of skills that Brown possess.

So what do you think Eels fans? Who do you think will find themselves spending minutes at dummy half in 2017?

Clint

All images courtesy of the Parramatta Eels, NRL.com and Getty Images.